Off The Record: James and Valerie
by SilverOcelot
Summary: A deeper look into the morning scene between Jim Gordon and Valerie Vale in 3x03, and a small change made in the end. James x Valerie / Jim x Valerie oneshot! Maybe a future story as well.


Disclaimer: I do not own Gotham or any of its characters, the rights belong to FOX and their respected parties involved.

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For Jim Gordon nowadays, waking up in Gotham in his surprisingly soft bed with no in mind felt like a blessing. And he could say his bed was probably the nicest looking thing he has in his apartment at the moment. That was on most nights and most mornings, except the previous night and the current morning. This morning he woke up with the newest reporter in Gotham today, Valerie Vale. It wasn't an accident, although he didn't quite plan on having anyone spend the night, he didn't have time to really tidy up the place that looked like it had been years since the cleaning happened. Jim Gordon was an honest man, especially when he wanted to be. Though he wouldn't admit it out loud, his short time spent with Valerie over the last few days he's enjoyed her company, in and out of the sheets.

For Valerie, sleeping with Jim Gordon wasn't her first intention either. She's kept up on the headlines he's been involved with over the last few years, from being a hero cop to an alleged cold blooded killer. Now she could add Gotham City bounty hunter to his list. But she wouldn't deny that she saw something in him, that he was more than just what the headlines talked about and a rundown apartment. Valerie Vale never slept with just anyone just for fun or for a story, she had her reasons as well.

Looking on from his bed, Jim watched on as Valerie began to redress herself from the previous night's activities, along with a little morning makeout session as well. He felt something, watching her slowly grab her shirt and covering up her bare back from Gordon's view. Before he could fall too deep, he caught himself.

"Valerie." James called out to her and swung his legs over his bed to keep from staying in bed all day.

"James." She shot back at him, attempting to match his deep tone in her own playful manner. The result cracked a quick smile on his lips while he allowed his head rush to subside for the moment.

"Want some breakfast? There's a place around the corner." The offer wasn't fairly usual, not that Jim was the kind of man to bring women over to his apartment. Moving on from Barbara to Leslie, and from Leslie to a fork in the road to his life, he needed something else. Valerie saw it from five miles coming in her direction.

"Pass." Valerie sight out with a careful smile to let him down a little easy, not that he needed to be. "I have to be at City Hall in an hour. I have to go home and shower."

Jim Gordon was given another opportunity to impress, and he wanted to impress more. "I have a shower." He crossed his arms leaning against the wall with a pretty smug smile playing on his lips. But again, Valerie could see it coming, and she knew exactly how to dodge around it while she was putting her heels back on her feet.

"No, you have a dark hole in the wall with no water pressure and one damp towel." Valerie got him again executing the perfect dodge like she planned, and Jim could tell she was possibly avoiding something.

"Right." He muttered while lightly gazing at her thinking to himself that maybe it was a no go. Except what gave him the idea to try again for a third time to impress Valerie was the fact that she was gazing back at him with her own cheeky smile, more so for actually putting in the effort for trying. "Well, I'm collecting my bounty from the GCPD today. So, uh, I could stop on my way home, make things a little more...nicer." At this point, even Jim could tell he was really pulling out some stops to keep Valerie around. That was the most nervous he's

Thought smooth, Valerie again just would not bite on what Jim was trying to get her with. Many men before have tried, not so many among those men were sober, but James Gordon so far has been slightly the most impressive thus far. Valerie knew her worth and had her honor, she didn't want any of that to vanish.

"Yeah, good luck with that." That was what she responded with which started to puzzle Jim even more. Grabbing her jacket off the chair looking to leave, Valerie decided to reward Jim with something for his valiant efforts. Valerie leaned in slowly with anticipation and locked her lips with Jim's for a soft but sensual kiss, leaving Jim still a bit confused but deep down wanting more. "That was fun." She ended with a smile and began to walk towards the door. "See ya around."

Jim watched Valerie walking on trying to make sense of all that happened. In the little time he could process anything, there was something that sparked something. When he was with Barbara and Leslie, he felt like he gave his all in their relationships. He was always there for them, and he loved them, but something always got in the way. It came back to having a mission, back to when he was a cop with the GCPD. It was what he was good at, what gave him a purpose in the roller coaster of a city. Worrying about taking down the next psycho criminal and breaking the next case open all while balancing a healthy relationship.

He didn't have to worry about that anymore. Jim Gordon was self-employed at his own risk and setting his own missions under his own rules. A fresh start or playing by your own rules? Something he began to blur the lines with. The dangers were still there whether it be in the city or with himself. And if Leslie found the strength to move on, so could he.

"Valerie, wait." Jim darted towards her and caught the door before it could slam in his face. She hadn't even made it down the steps yet when he suddenly startled her, and she wasn't sure if he was actually going over the limit and trying for a fourth time. That was all she could think about until her lips were met with Jim's again, this time with a bit more fire behind it. It left her breathless when she pulled away. No one has kissed her like that in her life, not even anyone who's really tried. "Have dinner with me. In, out, wherever. As long as it's a date."

Valerie saw the three previous attempts but did not expect a fourth, especially not a fourth attempt that outdid the others by a long shot. Again, she had men sometimes throwing themselves at her and she knew how to keep one cradled in the palm of her hand. Jim Gordon was definitely a different kind of type she was intrigued by.

"You sure you're not suffering from any sort of hallucinogen, James Gordon? Not in love with me, are ya?" Valerie kept her cool as she pulled away and started to walk down the steps towards the streets of Gotham. Only she stopped in place to both her and Jim's surprise. She's been out with far worse men, it wouldn't kill her to hit the jackpot for a change or win a decent hand. "I have a deadline to meet tonight so it'll have to be a late dinner. 8 o'clock, your place."

"8 o'clock is good, perfect." Jim barely took his eyes off of Valerie and felt that same spark again when she smiled up at him. He was sure he wasn't under any drug to suffer from a hallucinogen. But love? Love is something that's escaped him twice. If this was the start of a third time, he didn't want to take it for granted.

"Great. And James, maybe tidy up just a little bit with that paycheck of yours." Valerie quirked up an eyebrow while reading the expression off of his face. "And buy a few more towels. Because, I don't know, maybe I'll stay next time for a shower." And for Valerie, next time meant tomorrow morning but she was leaving that ending up to Jim for now.

"Go on, don't be late. I'll see you tonight, Valerie." Jim sent her off with a small chuckle and took a step backward to open up his screen door.

"And I'll see you tonight, James." Valerie matched his tone once again and flashed him a quick wink before she went on her way back to her apartment.

For Jim Gordon nowadays, fate may have given him another shot at happiness. And he was more than ready this time to face anything thrown at him this time.


End file.
